1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pesticides, and particularly to use of a phenylpropanoid plant secondary metabolite for controlling Red Palm Weevil infestations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Red Palm Weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), is the most damaging tissue boring pest of palms or palm trees. It likely originated from India and subsequently spread worldwide due to the poor quarantine measures. Infestations of this pest have been reported on more than 28 palm species worldwide. The coconut palm, the canary palm, and the date palm, in particular, have suffered significantly from the damaging effects of the Red Palm Weevil. Legless creamy white larvae (so-called “grubs”) of Red Palm Weevil are the most destructive stage of the weevil. They chew the soft tender tissues and move towards the interior of the palm. Weevil larvae can excavate holes in the trunk of palm trees up to a meter long, thereby weakening and eventually killing the host plant. The recent statistics shows that red palm weevil infestation may cause severe economic losses that account for about 5.18 to 25.92 million USD annually.
The life cycle of Red Palm Weevil is comprised of 3-4 months depending upon the environmental conditions. Female Red Palm Weevil singly lays eggs into the holes made by Rhinoceros beetles or wounds made during pruning. Hatched creamy white larvae (grubs) start feeding on surrounding tissues and complete their sixteen instars. Such feeding pattern destroys the vascular system of the palm trees resulting in death of the infested palm within one year.
Currently, Red Palm Weevil infestations are controlled by frequent application of synthetic pesticides as soil treatment, tree fumigation, trunk injection, wound dressing and crown drenching of infested palms. These practices are not sustainable, endanger biological diversity and deteriorate environmental quality.
Thus, use of a bio-pesticide to control infestations of Red Palm Weevil solving the aforementioned problems is desired.